Top Gun: Maverick Jacket Changed to Appease China?
This one’s turning out to be political movie
Tom Cruise is back with Top Gun, and we love his habit of layering clothes more than ever before. His jacket, in particular, looks very stylish. But, wait a minute? Did you notice that the flag on the jacket in the trailer of Top Gun: Maverick is different than what was in the original film? A bunch of other people have also noticed it, especially the Chinese (and maybe they are celebrating!).
Though we are huge fans of anything donned by Cruise, on or off-screen when it comes to essential menswear pieces, we did notice that in the original film, his leather jacket had a four-flag pattern on its back that were the flags of Japan, Taiwan, the US, and the United Nations.
There’s a new Top Gun movie coming out. And Maverick is wearing the same leather jacket – only this time it’s Communist Party of China-approved, so the Japanese and Taiwanese flag patches are gone (screenshot on right is from the new trailer)… pic.twitter.com/gUxFNFNUKX
— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) July 19, 2019
But in the Top Gun: Maverick trailer, the flags of Japan and Taiwan have been replaced by similar-looking but unidentifiable flags. Many fans of the series were quick to highlight the change and to comment how the US filmmakers made the change to ensure one of the financers of the film, a Chinese company (Tencent) doesn’t feel bad.
Another reason could be the fact that Chinese audience can bring in the millions and if they don’t visit the theatre after the film is released, it might ensure that Top Gun: Maverick doesn’t get the number it has been aiming for.
There could be two big reasons why China might object to Top Gun: Maverick trailer and Cruise’s old jacket logo. First, the relations between China and Japan have been fraught for a long time, and the tensions have escalated due to the disputed lands present in the East China sea.
Second, Taiwan and China have also had a complex relationship since Taiwan decided to be self-governed and parted ways from China in 1949. Beijing refuses this separation and still considers Taiwan to be its territory. It has also been doing all in its power to cajole Taiwan to be a part of China again.
Both Paramount and Tencent, makers of Top Gun: Maverick haven’t released any comments yet.
Though we want nothing to do with which country is pressuring the other, we think that politics and entertainment should be kept away. It might be just a dream given the fact there is a new jacket in Top Gun: Maverick trailer, but we can still have hopes, right?
